upon
♦♦ upon /əp'ɒn/
In addition to the uses shown below, upon is used in phrasal verbs such as `come upon' and `look upon', and after some other verbs such as `decide' and `depend'.
1 [PREP]
If one thing is upon another, it is on it. (FORMAL)
He set the tray upon the table...
He bent forward and laid a kiss softly upon her forehead...
= on
2 [PREP] PREP -ing/n
You use upon when mentioning an event that is followed immediately by another event. (FORMAL)
The door on the left, upon entering the church, leads to the Crypt of St Issac...
Upon conclusion of these studies, the patient was told that she had a severe problem.
= on
3 [PREP] n PREP n
You use upon between two occurrences of the same noun in order to say that there are large numbers of the thing mentioned.
Row upon row of women surged forwards...
4 [PREP] PREP pron
If an event is upon you, it is just about to happen.
The long-threatened storm was upon us...come upon
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you come upon someone or something, you meet them or find them by chance.
I came upon an irresistible item at a yard sale.
= come across
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If an attitude or feeling comes upon you, it begins to affect you. (LITERARY)
A sense of impending doom came upon all of us.count upon
see count ondraw upon
see draw on 1frown upon
or frown on
[PHRASAL VERB] be V-ed P, V P n (not pron)
If something is frowned upon or is frowned on people disapprove of it.
This practice is frowned upon as being wasteful...
Many teachers frown on such practices.hit upon
see hit onlook upon
see look onset upon
[PHRASAL VERB] usu passive, be V-ed P
If you are set upon by people, they make a sudden and unexpected physical attack on you.
We were set upon by about twelve youths and I was kicked unconscious.take upon
see take on 6thrust upon
[PHRASAL VERB] usu passive, be V-ed P n, have n V-ed P n
If something is thrust upon you, you are forced to have it, deal with it, or experience it.
Why has such sadness been thrust upon us?...
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.
In addition to the uses shown below, upon is used in phrasal verbs such as `come upon' and `look upon', and after some other verbs such as `decide' and `depend'.
1 [PREP]
If one thing is upon another, it is on it. (FORMAL)
He set the tray upon the table...
He bent forward and laid a kiss softly upon her forehead...
= on
2 [PREP] PREP -ing/n
You use upon when mentioning an event that is followed immediately by another event. (FORMAL)
The door on the left, upon entering the church, leads to the Crypt of St Issac...
Upon conclusion of these studies, the patient was told that she had a severe problem.
= on
3 [PREP] n PREP n
You use upon between two occurrences of the same noun in order to say that there are large numbers of the thing mentioned.
Row upon row of women surged forwards...
4 [PREP] PREP pron
If an event is upon you, it is just about to happen.
The long-threatened storm was upon us...come upon
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you come upon someone or something, you meet them or find them by chance.
I came upon an irresistible item at a yard sale.
= come across
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If an attitude or feeling comes upon you, it begins to affect you. (LITERARY)
A sense of impending doom came upon all of us.count upon
see count ondraw upon
see draw on 1frown upon
or frown on
[PHRASAL VERB] be V-ed P, V P n (not pron)
If something is frowned upon or is frowned on people disapprove of it.
This practice is frowned upon as being wasteful...
Many teachers frown on such practices.hit upon
see hit onlook upon
see look onset upon
[PHRASAL VERB] usu passive, be V-ed P
If you are set upon by people, they make a sudden and unexpected physical attack on you.
We were set upon by about twelve youths and I was kicked unconscious.take upon
see take on 6thrust upon
[PHRASAL VERB] usu passive, be V-ed P n, have n V-ed P n
If something is thrust upon you, you are forced to have it, deal with it, or experience it.
Why has such sadness been thrust upon us?...
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.